Book Review: Plunkett’s Biotech & Genetics Industry Almanac 2012

Looking for biotechnology industry reference information? You could hop on the Internet and search among the myriad sites, figure out which ones are credible, then try and find a consensus, or you could grab a copy of Plunkett’s Biotech & Genetics Industry Almanac. This book is essentially a reference librarian in a box. I reviewed an earlier issue of this book several years ago (my endorsement is on the front cover), so I wondered how useful it might remain despite the advancement of search engines and new web resources. In short, I think the book is still very valuable.

Plunkett’s Almanac profiles the top companies and has statistics and trends in the areas of genomics, proteomics, biopharmaceuticals, research, business development, and commercialization. The book is split into several sections:

A biotechnology and genetics industry glossary

Major Trends Affecting the Biotech & Genetics Industry

Biotech & Genetics Industry Statistics

Important Biotech & Genetics Industry Statistics

Profiles of Plunkett’s “Biotech 350”

At > 500 pages, the book represents a significant resource. A great deal of effort has gone into selecting valuable information and assembling it into a useful, objective, format. I recommend this book for biotechnology service firms needing the indexes of companies and knowledge of major trends, as well as for individuals in finance, market research, or other broad industry roles.